As the researchers delved further into their exploration, another idea emerged—a suggestion for Atlas to connect with a wand. After some consideration and discussion among those present, the proposal was approved. However, cautious voices raised concerns about the potential dangers if Atlas attempted to connect with a wand that did not accept him. To mitigate the risk, it was suggested that he try connecting with his own wand first. This marked the first time Atlas transformed without his wand, yet he was pleasantly surprised to find that his finger still retained the shape reminiscent of his wand.
The magizoologist offered a helping hand, carefully placing the wand in front of Atlas. With a cautious touch, he extended his claws and made contact with the wand. In an instant, he was startled as the deafening roar of a dragon echoed in his mind. The sensation was far beyond what he had anticipated, even though he and the researchers were aware that his wand's core was made of dragonheart string. The raw, explosive anger emanating from the wand was almost tangible, and as if to prove its power, the wand ignited a nearby table in flames.
Reacting swiftly, the researcher extinguished the fire, prompting a discussion about the validation of a long-standing claim made by wandmakers—that wands possessed spirits and could choose their wielders. Some researchers speculated that if Atlas had acquired traits from the bonsai tree, it was possible for him to acquire traits from his wand as well.
Though Atlas found the experience uncomfortable, considering the seething anger of the dragon spirit directed at the world, he agreed to hold the connection with his wand, drawing upon the temporary nature of his previous experiences. With utmost concentration, the researchers observed his every move, and even Dumbledore had his wand at the ready, prepared for any unforeseen events. From their perspective, it was perhaps the most uneventful 30 minutes they had ever encountered. However, for Atlas, time seemed to stretch on as he endured the relentless hatred of the dragon spirit. The anger remained, but it simmered down, resembling the watchful gaze of a predator. A tinge of fear crept into Atlas, fearing that their experiments might have severed his connection to his wand. Yet, as no further outbursts occurred, he attempted to connect with the residual dragon spirit.
To his surprise, the hatred intensified, but simultaneously, it began to transform, shifting from a personal focus to a more universal disdain. It was as if the dragon spirit cursed the world for its captivity, slaughter, and plundering—the theft of its skin, organs, and bones. It was the hate directed at the very beings who had subjected the dragon to such mistreatment. Atlas realized that the spirit was gradually dissipating, sending him into a slight panic. Acting on instinct, he infused a bit of magic into his wand, which appeared to stabilize the spirit. It seemed that the dragonheart string required an external energy source to maintain the spirit's presence. Yet, there was neither gratitude nor satisfaction emanating from the spirit; only its relentless hatred and disdain persisted.
Atlas was abruptly brought back to the present as the researcher standing before him noticed a change in his appearance. Disappointingly, there were no draconic attributes emerging, but rather a slight alteration in the colors of his bark. Upon closer examination, they deduced that it was the influence of the red cherry wood from which his wand was crafted that had colored his bark. The transformation took longer than with the bonsai, leading the researchers to theorize that it might be attributed to the fact that the wand, although containing a core with a spirit, was not truly alive like a tree.
The magizoologists continued their endeavors, embarking on further experiments to unlock draconic attributes or traits from other wand cores. However, these endeavors proved futile, revealing that acquiring such traits was simply not possible. Moreover, they observed that the deeper Atlas delved into his transformation or adaptation to a particular wood type, the longer it took for the changes to reverse. There was a growing concern that the transformation could potentially become permanent.
When Atlas discovered that his transformation extended beyond his bowtruckle form, affecting his hair, including the strands on his arms and legs, as well as his nails in his human form, he decided to put a halt to any further progression. The researchers, although a few wore disappointed expressions, ultimately respected his decision. Professor McGonagall sternly emphasized that the safety and consent of the student were of paramount importance, effectively quelling any dissent among the researchers.
Especially after the last experiment of its kind abruptly ended when Atlas experienced a sharp pain while attempting to connect with the bonsai once again, as the transformation to cherry wood had not completely reversed. This occurrence shed light on why Bowtruckles steadfastly remained in their home trees, fiercely protecting them. It was a symbiotic relationship where the large tree provided energy and camouflage abilities to the small bowtruckles, while the bowtruckles in turn defended the tree against pests like insects or wizards seeking wood for wands.
After hours of conducting various smaller-scale experiments, the first day of research concluded. Among the weary group, Atlas seemed to be the only one still brimming with energy. At least physically, he felt absolutely fantastic, as he had been invigorated multiple times by the energy he absorbed from different types of trees throughout the day.
As he shouldn’t eat till the next day, he only accompanied Hermione to the great hall and excused himself by saying that if he wasn’t allowed to eat, he had no interest in watching other people eat. Hermione had a bit of sympathy but could only try to cheer him up with a soft kiss as Atlas wanted to leave.
Since Hermione had slept in his bed, they had far fewer problems showing a bit of affection in public. Especially Hermione almost always grabbed his hand and pulled him closer when he did as much as talk to other girls. That didn’t mean that she didn’t want him to talk to others, and Atlas wasn’t even sure it was a conscious decision of hers, and he didn’t know if it really only started recently or if he only began to realize it after having heard Hermione voice out her jealousy while sleeping. Either way, it was good that Daphne had been the only other girl in their squad, or it might have become quite troublesome. Studying with Ethan’s group had shown him that being the only guy in the group wasn’t as nice as it sounded. While Leone and Amy were friends with each other, and Atlas was sure that Leona didn’t have any feelings for Ethan, the same couldn’t be said about the other girls. At least from Amy’s reaction to them. Ethan might not have noticed it, but Amy was throwing death glares around whenever Ethan wasn’t looking.
The good thing was that her aversions against Hermione had lessened, or maybe she just had less of a priority. The really interesting thing was that Atlas was sure Ethan just pretended not to notice these things and seemed to enjoy that the girls were fighting over his attention.
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While this observation didn’t give Atlas any new inspiration, he thought that it might be more likely that Ethan was the hero than Amy. The reasoning for that was a bit weak, but he thought it made sense. In all the movies or books he had seen, it was always the hero that got the girls, or in the case of a female lead, the boys. That Amy tried to scare the others away and failed at her attempts, and that Ethan was surrounded by girls without putting in any extra effort, made him believe that it was more likely for Ethan to be the hero instead of Amy. Naturally, it was just a vague theory, but it made Atlas a bit more aware of Ethan. Ethan had definitely shown interest in Hermione, or, to be more accurate, anger that he got together with her, and while it might just be a coincidence that Ethan was surrounded by girls, Atlas didn’t want to rule out the possibility that Ethan had the ability to charm others in any supernatural way. It scared Atlas a bit to think about the possibility that this was indeed the case, and he would make sure to not leave Hermione alone with Ethan anymore.
As the thought of the hero lingered in his mind, Atlas felt the urge to check the marauder's map. He swiftly sprinted to the common room, driven by the ingrained habit of ensuring he didn't miss any important details. It wasn't that he expected to uncover something significant, but he couldn't afford to be careless and overlook any potential clues.
True to his suspicions, Quirrell sat in his office as usual. By now, Atlas was almost sure he was preparing the things he requested because he couldn’t explain this behavior otherwise.
Meanwhile, Markus Flint, accompanied by a group of Slytherins, appeared to be aimlessly wandering around the school grounds. Initially, Atlas didn't think much of it, dismissing their movements as mere casual strolls. However, as he meticulously studied the Marauder's Map for nearly twenty minutes, a realization struck him like a bolt of lightning.
They weren't simply wandering or going about their day; they were patrolling. Atlas watched in fascination as Flint and his Slytherin companions repeatedly passed by the Room of Requirement. The frequency and pattern of their movements left no doubt in Atlas' mind—it was a deliberate patrol. But why? What could explain this peculiar behavior?
The question gnawed at Atlas's mind, unraveling a web of intrigue. He couldn't bring himself to believe that it was a mere coincidence. He was almost sure that Quirrell ordered him to do it, which left the question of why he actually did it. Did he receive house points for his actions, or was he privy to the truth about Quirrell's identity as Voldemort? It seemed highly unlikely that Flint would blindly follow Quirrell's instructions without raising a single question, even if some of his classmates suspected that he was partly a troll. After all, patrolling the same area repeatedly and keeping track of passing students hardly seemed like an enticing proposition.
Atlas entertained the idea that perhaps Quirrell had divulged the existence of the Room of Requirement to Flint and his companions. However, if that were the case, their actions would be far less conspicuous if they simply entered the room. It didn't quite add up, leading Atlas to believe that they were unlikely to have knowledge of the room.
The bowtruckle's thoughts raced, exploring every possible explanation. One possibility came to his mind: The Imperius Curse. It was within the realm of possibility that he had subjected Flint and the others to his will, bending them to his command. But then again, Atlas considered the faculty's vigilance. Multiple students under the Imperius Curse for an extended period would likely draw attention and be detected within hours.
The notion of a compulsion charm, similar to the one Dumbledore had used to guide Harry towards the Mirror of Erised in the dead of night, also crossed Atlas's mind. However, he reasoned that a mere compulsion wouldn't be sufficient to force someone into continuous and lengthy patrols. It seemed inadequate to explain Flint's unwavering commitment to the task.
After much contemplation, Atlas arrived at a conclusion. The most plausible explanation was that Flint and his companions were aware of Quirrell's true identity as Voldemort. It seemed more probable than other scenarios involving curses or charms.
The implications of this revelation sent a shiver down Atlas' spine. What did it mean for his plan, and more importantly, what did it say about Voldemort's current power? If Voldemort had grown bold enough to let a few of his followers know about his survival, the danger that loomed over this year could be far greater than Atlas had anticipated. It wasn't because Voldemort had become more powerful—Atlas knew he stood no chance against the Dark Lord even in his weakened state—but rather because Voldemort now had a plethora of options to acquire the Philosopher's Stone. He wouldn't necessarily need to retrieve it himself; he could dispatch his followers to do his bidding, testing the stone's protections and altering Professor Dumbledore's plans, potentially even bypassing Harry's confrontation altogether and simply pocketing the stone.
Atlas's mind raced, considering the myriad implications if Voldemort had indeed announced his return to his loyalists. Drawing from the knowledge he had acquired through books, he believed Voldemort would likely follow a similar path as before. He would attempt to infiltrate the Ministry, manipulating it from the shadows while casting doubt upon Dumbledore's leadership at Hogwarts. Voldemort would seek new recruits and, most importantly, make every effort to eliminate Harry or obtain the prophecy.
He realized that everything beyond the confines of Hogwarts lay outside his reach, making it impossible for him to verify his theories. But memories of Voldemort's close association with the Malfoys sparked a realization within Atlas. He vividly recalled seeing Lucius conversing with Quirrell in Diagon Alley. While it wasn't definitive proof, the pieces seemed to fit together, and Atlas became increasingly certain that it couldn't be mere coincidence or a figment of his imagination. His conviction grew stronger when he remembered Professor McGonagall's mention of the troubles caused by the Board of Governors. Knowing that Lucius was only removed from his position after Harry's second year, Atlas deduced that the trouble spoken of by McGonagall was likely instigated by Lucius.
Thus far, his theory held water, but a few lingering questions cast doubt on his hypothesis. If Voldemort truly possessed the power and confidence to announce his return, why was Harry still alive? Why hadn't Voldemort made an attempt on his life or made a move towards the Philosopher's Stone? As far as he knew, he hadn’t even tested the stones' protections. He also hadn't entrusted Hagrid with the dragon egg, to learn how to get past fluffy. At least to the best of Atlas's knowledge? It felt as though he was missing a crucial piece of information, preventing him from solving the puzzle.
Lying in bed, restlessly wrestling with these unanswered questions, a sudden epiphany struck Atlas. He was sure that Voldemort's actions did not align with the events depicted in the books, which was something that should have remained consistent unless tampered with intentionally. While the concept of the "butterfly effect" acknowledged that minor changes could lead to significant shifts in the future, this alteration was too substantial to be a mere coincidence. It could only mean that the hero, in all likelihood, had deliberately caused these changes. It was a realization he should have had much sooner, but he was too invested in accepting his own circumstances to see the bigger picture.
The pressing question now loomed before Atlas, who was still quietly cursing himself for his foolishness: Was Voldemort allied with the hero, or had the hero unwittingly made a grave mistake, triggering these altered circumstances?